A snowboard depends upon the same basic turning principles as those of an alpine ski. Both the snowboard and ski are designed with a significant “side cut” along the length of the longitudinal edges (FIG. 1). Specifically, the side-to-side width of a ski and snowboard are greatest at the front and back, while diminishing to a minimum at the “waist” or midsection. When a ski is tipped onto an edge, the wider tip and tail will engage the snow and tend to lift the narrow midsection off the snow (FIG. 2). Because the weight of the skier is concentrated at the center of the ski, this central force will bend the ski into a convex curve until the narrow midsection touches the snow. It is the bending of the ski into this arc that creates the “turn” (FIGS. 3A and 3B). Ideally, the bending force is applied to the middle (where the ski binding is mounted) while the ends of the ski are supported by the snow (FIG. 4), a dynamic similar to that of an archery bow where the center is pushed by the archer while the ends are pulled on by the bowstring.
Conventional snowboards, however, do not utilize this ideal bending dynamic. When a conventional snowboard is tipped onto an edge, the wide tip and tail engage the snow in the same manner as previously described for a ski. However, the weight/force of the snowboarder is not applied at the optimal narrow longitudinal center point. Instead, this force is bifurcated to the two boot binding positions, which are located at approximately one-third of the total length of the snowboard from each end (FIG. 5).
This creates several undesirable and counterproductive effects. Most evident is the fact that the snowboard will be more difficult to bend, and turn, because the force is not being applied at the optimal center location. With the feet positioned at these two locations, the board will assume a flat or even negative (concave) shape between the boot bindings. Thus, instead of one continuous convex arc, the board will tend to assume two minor convex arcs separated by a concave arc or flat spot (FIG. 5A), which is totally counterproductive to efficient turning. FIG. 6A shows the actual profile that the snowboard tends to assume during a turn, while FIG. 6B illustrates the desired, theoretical “perfect turn.”
Another undesirable effect of conventional snowboard design is the lack of any means to absorb energy and shock. Thus upon landing from a jump, the rider's body and feet must absorb the total impact.